Spring cover



T. MUNRO SPRING COVER March 24; 1931.

Filed Oct. 4, 1928 gnvento'a Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNETED STATES THOMASMUNRO, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SPRING COVER Application filedOctober 4, 1928.

This invention relates to covers for the springs of motor vehicles, theprincipal ob ject being the provision of a spring cover which will sealthe spring against contact with dust .and dirt in a more efiicientmanner than conventional constructions and which will protect thesecuring laces from injury.

Another object is to provide a spring cover with dual flaps.

Another object is to provide a spring cover with dual overlapping flaps,each of which is provided with a resilient member at the point ofoverlapping.

A further object is to provide a spring cover having a pair of flapsadapted to be positioned in overlapping relationship when in operativeposition upon a spring, and each of the flaps being provided at itsmargin with a strip of felt or like material providing a resilient padwhich serves to maintain the securing laces out of rubbing contact withthe spring and aids in preventing the move ment of the spring fromstretching the laces to their breaking point.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the sameconsists in certain features of construction and combinationsof parts tobe hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, andthen claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment ofthe present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several different views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of a vehicle spring provided with aspring cover constructed in accordance with the present invention, thespring cover being shown in section as on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partially broken plan view of the spring cover with theflaps thereof turned under as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the spring cover.

In the ordinary type of spring covers designed to completely enclose thespring when Serial No. 310,213.

operatively positioned thereon the cover is provided with a single flapusually of slightly greater width than the space which it is to closeand the free edge of which is adapted to be tucked under the oppositefree edge of the cover. Because of the Width of such flaps and theconstruction of such covers it is usually a relatively difficultoperation to put the flap in place so as to result'in a neat-appearingob. Furthermore, in conventional constructions, no positive means exceptthat of drawing the cover against the overlapped portion of the flap isprovided for sealing the cover between the free edge of the flap and thecorresponding edge of the cover. In addition, in spring covers whichemploy a lacmg for securing them in place upon a spring, theconstruction is such that the lacing bears against the spring with onelayer of cover fabric and not more than one layer of felt interposedbetween them, with the result that constant deflection of the springcauses the lacing to rub against the cover and often stretches it to thebreaking point.

The present invention contemplates the elimination of the diflicultiesexperienced in connection with conventional constructions,

as above pointed out, by the provision of a pair of flaps for eachspring cover, and the free edges of which are adapted to overlap whenapplied to the spring. This results in flaps of less width than inconventional constructions and which overlap substantially on the centerline of the spring, which thereby makes it a comparatively simple j obto properly position the flaps with respect to each other whenassembling the cover to a spring. Furthermore, I secure along the freeedge of each flap a strip of felt or like material which serves toeffect a double seal for the cover against the entrance of dust and dirtand leakage of lubricant, and further provides a double thickness ofsuch felt against which the lacings bear and which thus serves as apadding to protect them from damage due to rubbing or stretching of thelacings.

Referring to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a vehicle spring 10of the conventional multiple leaf type. The s ring 10 is provided withacover which may e made of fabric or other suitable material treated soas to be impervious to lubricant and formed to provide a central portion11 and side portions 12, the fabric between such portions preferablybeing reversely bent at 13 and sewed together along such portions exceptin the immediate neighborhood of the spring clips 1% and 15 so that suchreversely bent portions may pull apart at such clips and thereby form apocket in which the clips are received. The portions 11 and 12 may belined with a suitable lubricant-absorbing material such as felt, ifdesired, but in the construction shown the ends only are provided withstrips 16 and 17 of such material which serve to seal the cover at suchends against the es cape of lubricant and against the entrance of dustor dirt.

In accordance with the present invention the free edges of the sideportions 12 are each provided with a flap 18 which may be sewed as shownor otherwise suitably secured there to. The flaps 18 are adapted toextend under the bottom face of the spring 12 with their free edgespositioned in overlapping relationship with respect to each other asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The margin of each of the flaps 18 isprovided with a strip 19 of felt or other suitable material of likequalities, the strips 19 being of an appreciable width and lying inoverlapping relationship with respect to each other when the cover is inassembled position. The free edges of the side portions 12 are providedwith a plurality of fastener members 20 between which is strung a lacing21which serves to draw the cover into intimate contact with the spring10 and hold the flaps 18 in their proper relative positions.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing that the joint between the flapsi8 is protected from the escape of lubricant from within the cover andfrom the entrance of dust and dirt into the cover by a double seal ofmaterial 19,

and that the lacing 21 extends over and is protected from rubbing by adouble thickness of material 19 which forms a resilient pad for thelacing that will give when the lacing is stretched. It will also beapparent that by employing the double flaps they may be assembled to thespring in their proper relationship so asto form a neat-appearingfinished product on the spring much more easily than if a. single flapof greater width was provided in which the free end was intended to betucked up between one of the cover sides and the corresponding side ofthe spring 10.

As previously pointed out it is immaterial to the practice of thepresent invention whether or not the cover is lined with a suitablelubricant-absorbing material, and it will be further evident that it isimmaterial to the practice of the present invention whether or not theentire spring cover is made from a single piece of material or from aplurality of pieces suitably secured together, and these and otherformal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the inventiondescribed without departing from the spirit or substance of the broadinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A spring cover comprising a main body portion adaptedto enclose three sides of a vehicle spring, a flap secured to each freeside edge of said main body portion, said flaps adapted to overlap overthe remaining side of said spring, and a strip of cushioning materialsecured to each of said flaps along the line where it overlaps the otherof said flaps.

2. A. spring cover comprising a unitary member adapted to enclose aspring and having free side edges adapted to overlap on one face of saidspring, said member being provided with strips of lubricant absorbingmaterial secured along and commensurate in length with all of the freeedges thereof, said strips on the free side edges of said member lyingin overlapping relationship when in assembled position upon a spring.

3. In combination with a vehicle spring, a cover comprising a main bodyportion adapted to cover three sides of said spring, lace engaging meansalong the free side edges of said main body portion, a flap secured toeach free side edge of said main body portion, said flaps adapted tocover the fourth side of said spring and overlap each other along theirfree side edges, said flaps each being provided with a strip ofcushioning material along their line of overlap, and a. lace strungbetween said engaging means for securing said cover to said spring,thedouble thickness of said cushioning material forming a protectivepadding for said lace.

a. A spring cover comprising a main body portion adapted to enclose avehicle spring and overlapping along the length of one face of saidspring, a strip of cushioning material being secured to each free edgeof said body portion along said line of overlap whereby to enect an areaof double the combined thickness of said body portion and one of saidstrips.

THOMAS MUNRO.

